Power-transmission device



POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE W. Y KLEIN Filed March 5, 1922 2 Sheets-Shem l .Fuiy E, 192430 1,499,934

E. w. KLEIN FOWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed March 5, 1922 2 Shaw-Sheet. 2

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Patented July 1, 1924.

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BENJAMIN w. KLEIN", or MOUNT vEaNoN, NEW York.

POWER-TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

Application filed March 3, 1922. Serial No. 540,923.

' tain new and useful Improvements in Power-Transmission Devices, of which the following 1s a specification.

This inventlon relates to an lmproved power transmission device and in its generic aspect contemplates the provision of means for transmitting power from a single motor or other prime mover to a pair of tools and permitting of a universal movement or manipulation of the tools relative to each other and with respect to the motor, while maintaining a continuous maximum power transmission from the motorto the tools.

More particularly, my present improvement comprehends, in a device of the above character, a positive geared connection between the motor shaft and a flexible tool operating shaft which is mounted for universal swinging or pivotal movement with respect to the motor shaft whereby lost motion in the driving connection is practically eliminated and a continuous smooth and unbroken transmission of power to the tool operating shaft in the various angular positions which the latter may assume, is obtained.

In a practical embodiment of the present invention, such as that illustrated in the ac companying drawings, I have shown my present improvements as applied to a shoe polishing machine for the purpose of ex pediting the polishing of shoes. I am aware of the fact that it is not new to provide a motor driven polishing brush to be manually manipulated, but the use of such a single brush consumes considerable time and owing to the wide range of movement which is necessary in order to apply the brush to all parts of the shoe, it is not uncommon for the flexible shaft connected to the motor t o be so twisted that the shaft is broken. Therefore, I propose to operate two such rotary brushes or applicators from the single motor.

heretofore employed and to provide a uniyersally movable connection between the flexible driving shafts and the brushes with a positively geared connection between said shafts and the ends of the motor shaft.

Thus the two brushes maybe simultaneously moved along opposite sides of the shoe and the polishing of the shoe quickly completed with a minimum of manual labor'and with an economical consumption of the motor power and the assurance that the flei tibl'e driving shafts will not be unduly twisted and possibly'broken. o

It is also a particular object of my present invention to provide an improved pivotal mounting or connection between the motor and the driving shaft with relatively movable housing or guard sections which serve to prevent parts of the clothing coming in contact with the gears or other foreign objects lodging thereon and interfering with their proper operation. r

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved power transmission device and in the form, con struction and relative arrangement of. the several parts as will be hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claim; a I

In thedrawings wherein I have disclosed one practical and satisfactory embodiment of the invention and in whichjsimilar refer ence characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showingmy present improvements as adapted for use in connection with a shoe polishing machine;

2 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the geared drivingconnection between the motor shaft and the driving shaft; i

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line ofFig.2; V

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the hand-hold showing the connections between the flexible driving shaft and the brush or other tool; h v

Fig. 5* is a detail sectional view of the brush'with the means for detachable conmotion to the driving shaft;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating a slight modification showing the brush in section and disconnected from the driving shaft, and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the brush shown in Fig. 6. p o v,

In the drawings I have shown an electric motor 5 which may be of any preferred type using either direct or alternatingcurrent.

The armature shaft 6 of the motor extends axially in opposite directions from the sides 7 of the motor case, and each end of the shaft has a reduced threaded extension 7 to receive a cog gear 8 having its teeth 9 disposed at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to theaXis of the motor shaft. These gear teeth are of the peculiar form shown in the drawings, the outer end portions being 5 rounded or convex as at and describing a continuous arc.

Upon each end portion of the motor shaft 6 a bearing sleeve 11 is disposed, said sleeve having a bronze bushing 12 extending the 10 full lengththereof--in direct bearing contact-with-the motorshafh The outer end fthe sleeve lljis; formed with a head '13 3; which is {formed {at its upper side with the forwardly projecting arms Hand 15 15 respect-ively said arms being located at oppositesides of the shaft -6 and at relatively differentdistancestherefrom The arm- 14 is provided with a laterally projecting studlfi disposed at anangle of -90 with respect to the motor shaft'fi Thef-lex ible driving shaft 17 for the-ro tary -tool maybe of any approved construction and at one of its-endsis journaledin the;hronze bushing 18 of the bearing head 19:,saidfend ofthefiexible shaft also-having a reduced threaded extension-20 upon which thecog gear-21 is engaged against one side of' the; bearing head -'1 ;9; his-gear '21- ofpreeisely the; same form as the gear 8 above described. ,7 g Y The hearing head 19 islikewiseprovided at onfe-side'thereof;with the arms-or eX- tensiens Q2- and which correspond respectively with the arms 14; and 15' on-the bear-- inghead 13,-the arm '22"having a stud '24 similar to-the-stud-1-6. I Thearms and- 23- of the-two bearing members'are pro- -;;videdwith openings to-looselyreceive-thestuds 2% and 16 respectively,- so that the; 40 bearingheaddQ may freelyswingor pivot on-said studs, 1 thus permitting the flexible? di-ivin g sha-ft 1? to move to-various a il- P r glar positions with respect to the motor sha as ifliillfl tl liied by' tllfi'jt 2111 the drawings.

" to he} noted that theali n studs 1-6; a iposed in pitch lines of the teeth: of the--gears 8-and* 21;,- ljherefore; it-wil;l be obvious thatthe H 3 oifthese gearswill at allftime's bein intermeshiug rel at-ion; regardless -of thean 1 gular positionwhich-- the flexible; driving may assume andthat there will be'no I ption in the: QQII Qi'HHitjT- Qf' the driv 'f ing. -toroe-transmitted; fthrough said' gears from the motor shaft to the dri'v inq shaft To eachof-theffie ihlejdriving shafts 1'7 connect-e dto the ends" of the motor shaft in the-manneriust explained;-rotary;tools -if a a se-v thus b i d nd nt y: ma tr I lated rto operate uponj; d ifierent portions of anobiect-at the same times in Figs1-and- L of the t rar na 'l h ve s e nr. a h fi i le 7 drii ing shaft provided at its free end with a knurled hand-hold 25 in the form of an elongated sleeve having a. threaded connection 26 at its inner end to a bearing member 27 for the end 28 of the flexible shaft. This hearing member is internally threaded at one end to receive the externally threaded extension30 of a sleeve 29 which is fittedwithin the hand-hold 25. A spindle 31 8X- tends through said sleeve and'is rotatably engaged in the extension 30 thereof; said pindle having 'a-fiange 32011 0116 enden ing'over' the end of theextension spindle is provided with alonafitudiore to receive a longitudinally ex pin on the end 28 of the'fiexible d pin being of semi-circularform in;cross-se ction and having a flat'lo'ngitudinally'inclinedface '35with which a corre spondingly inclined face of a-key;36 'is-engaged. This key is removably secured with in the bore by suitable-screws' i Between the'spindle 31 and the forward end ofthe sleeve 29 a suitable ball-bearing- 38*is' interposedfsaid spindle terminating in: a reduced threaded extension 39 to which aretain-ing-c'ollar 4O forthe ball-bear'ing-is fixed. -Upon the threaded extension '39 a slceve ll 'isdetachably eiigagedand extends longitudinally through the-open end of the hand-hold 25. Theouter" endof this sleeve is longitudinallysplit "as'at 42 to provide" a plurality of radially resilient sections.

-The rotary tool, which as herein shown is in the 'form'of-a polishing brrish43,has-- its core longitudinally bored to receive the end of a'shaft 44 which,- as illustrated in end of this shaft has a longitudinally ieduced portion affording a transverse shouldered This end of the tool'shaft isadapt-- ed-to be inserted in thesplit end of the sleeve :1 'until'the shoulder 4-6 contacts with; the; stop rpin extending *3 transversely 1 through thebore o'f said sleeve. The'dian'i 7 eter oftheshaft' lisslightly' greater than the split-end ot-"the sleeve 41 "so that said' f split portions will exert-an inward holding pressure .ipon-said"shaft; to detachablyTetain thesameiii-connection with said sleeves:

In Figs; G'and Tot-the drawings I have: shown-an alternative imeans for detachably connecting the brush orthe tool to the fieXi-- ble driving shaft; ln'this caset'he sleeve-ll instea d otbeing split at its outerend is pro" vided with a solid rectangular'extension48 proj ectingbeyond' the end of' thehand hold andhav-ingits extremity tapered as at49 The brush core 50 is of rectangular form: and-is axially bored to -receive-the"square shaft extension 48. At one endof said bore}: the core 50 isrecessed to 7 receive the spring" clip -51@'whieh is retained insaidrecess by of the brush core. As seen in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the opposite side portions of the clip 51 are' normally bowed inwardly towards each other. Thus, when the shaft extension 48 is forced into the boreof the brush core, these side portions of the retaining clip will be pressed outwardly and placed under tension, said clip portions exerting a clamping pressure against oppo site sides of the shaft 48, and thus detachably holding the brush in connection therewith.

In the practical application of my present invention as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the motor 5 is suitably secured to a floor or base beneatha platform or stand 53 upon which a series of spaced stools or seats 54. may be arranged. Beneath each of these seats a foot rest 55 is secured to the front edge of the platform 53. At each side of the stool or seat 54: a suitable support 56 is arranged for detachably receiving the end of one of the hand-holds 25 when the device is not in use.

In operation, the patron seats himself on the stool 5a and places one foot on the rest 55. After applying the paste or other polishing composition to the surfaces of the shoe, the motor 5 is started in operation and the operator grasping the hand-holds 25 moves the polishing brushes 43 rapidly over the opposite sides of the shoe at the same time. In manipulating these polishing brushes the shaft 17 is freely flexed so as to permit the rotary axis of the brush to be disposed at various angles and enable the periphery of the brush to be engaged with all portions of the shoe surface. This freedom in the manipulation of the brushes or tools without injury to the flexible driving shafts is due to the manner of mounting and connecting the shaft bearings with respect to the motor shaft, as above explained. In addition to permitting the swinging or pivotal movement of the flexible shafts in the direction indicated by the arrows A in Fig. 2 without disconnecting the driving gears, said shafts may also move in the direction indicated by the arrows B in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the bearing sleeves 11 turning freely on the motor shaft. Thus the operation of providing a high polish upon the surfaces of the shoe may be greatly expedited by means of my present invention. Obviously a very small amount of electric current is consumed in this operation and in practice a one-eighth H. P. motor will suffice to drive the polishing brushes at the desired speed. Of course it will be understood that other tools may be interchangeably used in connection with the flexible shafts for performing various other operations.

In order to obviate the possibility of portions of the dress or clothing catching in the intermeshing gears 8 and 21 and for rotecting these gears against possible in ury, I provide the guard or housing sections 57 and 58 respectively. These sections are each loosely engaged upon the pivot studs 16 and 24 at the outer sides of the bearing arms 15 and 23, and as will be noted from reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the section 58, has its lower edge disposed within the guard section 57. The guard section 57 is formed with aflange 59 engaging behind the shoulder 60 on the bearing head 13 and the guard section 58 is provided with a similar flange 61 engaged with the shoulder 62 on the bearing head 19. Thus it will be un derstood that these guard or housing sections have no pivotal movement independently of the bearing heads. However, as the flexible shaft 16 is moved to different angular positions with relation to the motor shaft, the guard section 58 will swing with the bearing 19 and move freely into and out of the complementary guard section 57. In the manipulation of the rotary brush or tool, there may momentarily be an open space or gap between the opposed ends of these guard sections, but when the tools have been engaged in the supports 56, it will be observed that the outer side of the housing is completely closed and the gear elements entirely covered thereby.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of operation of my improved power transmission device will be completely understood. I have herein made reference to one advantageous application of my present improvements, but it will be manifest that the invention might also be utilized in connection with various other operations where it is desirable and advantageous to operate upon the work or object with two independently manipulable tools. By reason of the manner in which the motor shaft and the driving shafts are mounted and correlated so that there is continuous positive meshing engagement between the power transmission gears, unbroken continuity in the transmission of maximum power from the motor to the driving shaft is obtained. By the elimination of direct connection of the flexible driving shaft to the motor shaft, the possible breakage of the driving shaft by excessive bending or twistingof the same is precluded and a maximum freedom of angular movement of the flexible driving shaft in all directions is obtained.

lVhile I have herein disclosed one satisfactory and practical embodiment of my present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that the device is susceptible of embodiment in numerous other alternative constructions and I accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement. of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

In combination with a motor having a shaft extension, a flexible tool operating shaft, an end bearing for said flexible shaft, a bearing part loosely mounted for axial rotation on the motor shaft exten sion, each of said bearing parts having arms located at opposite sides of the axial center of the bearing and unequally spaced therefrom, one of the arms being :pro-' vided with a pivot stud and the other arm having an opening to receive the pivot stud of the other bearing part whereby the bearing part for the flexible shaft may be connected to or disconnected from the bearing part on the motor shaft by a relative shifting movement, and intermeshing gear elements detachably connected to the ends of the motor shaft and the flexible shaft to continuonsly drive the latter in its angular movement with respect to the motor shaft and said gear elements coaoting with the respective bearing parts and constituting stops to prevent shifting movement of said parts'in one direction upon the respective shafts.

In testimony that I'claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

BENJ. W. KLE1N; 

